MARLBOROUGH College student Alessandro Latif is set to contest the world’s most gruelling and prestigious sports car race next month.

Latif, who only turned 18 last month, will race a British-built Zytek in the 82nd running of the gruelling Le Mans 24-hour race on June 14-15.

Alessandro will drive for the Peterborough-based Greaves Motorsport team alongside fellow Britons Michaël Munneman and James Winslow.

“Greaves Motorsport has consistently been one of the leading teams in the Le Mans P2 class," said Latif, who tries out the Zytek for the first time this week.

“I was close to racing for them at the end of last year in Bahrain but didn’t compete due to financial reasons. I’m desperately hoping that I can attract some funding and support for my maiden Le Mans campaign.

In January, Latif contested his maiden twice-around-the-clock race, finishing an impressive fifth in the Daytona 24 Hours and claimed eighth place in the Sebring 12 Hours two months later.

“This is my biggest race to date and actually the biggest race possible I could ever compete in," said Latif.

“I can remember watching Steve McQueen's Le Mans film over and over.

"I’m over the moon to be racing in such a historic race this year.”

It’s the third year in succession Greaves Motorsport will contest Le Mans with a pair of Nissan-powered Zytek prototypes having won the LM P2 class in 2011 and recorded a third place finish last year.